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☆ A growing number of sports bras, shirts and leggings brands found with high levels of toxic chemical, watchdog warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The newly tested brands and their products include leggings from Athleta, Champion, Kohl’s, Nike and Patagonia, sports bras from Sweaty Betty, athletic shirts from Fabletics and shorts from Adidas, Champion and Nike. The group had also tested athletic shirts in October from brands that included The North Face, Brooks, Mizuno, Athleta, New Balance, and Reebok and found similar results. Athleta, Nike, Reebok, The North Face and Victoria’s Secret (which owns PINK) did not provide a comment to CNN at the time. BPA (Bisphenol A) is found in a large number of everyday products, from water bottles and canned foods to toys and flooring. Sports bras and athletic shirts are worn for hours at a time, and you are meant to sweat in them, so it is concerning to be finding such high levels of BPA in our clothing,” Allan Sugerman said.

☆ Marijuana harms development in first trimester of pregnancy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“Low birth weight is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s health and development long-term,” she said. “What we are telling women is that it’s not an absolute certainty that your baby’s growth will be impacted if you are using marijuana. “My advice to women is to avoid using marijuana at all during pregnancy and if possible stop using prior to becoming pregnant,” Bailey said. Marijuana use can harm fetal development in the first trimester, a time when many people may not know they are pregnant. Prior research has “pretty well established” that smoking cigarettes during pregnancy has a bigger impact on birth weight than exposure to marijuana,” Bailey said.

☆ Sleep apnea, lack of deep sleep linked to damage in brain, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If the sleep apnea is severe and untreated, people have three times the risk of dying from any cause. People with severe sleep apnea who spent less time in deep, also known as slow-wave sleep, had more damage to the white matter of the brain than people who had more slow-wave sleep, according to the study. “The association with sleep apnea was only unveiled when we isolated severe cases, suggesting that mild to moderate sleep apnea may not be significantly associated with white matter changes,” he said. About 34% of the participants had mild sleep apnea, 32% had moderate and 34% had severe sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea, however, can have dozens of micro-awakenings during the night as they snore, snort or gasp for breath.

☆ Is your job ruining your sleep? If so, this may be why
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Experiencing negative changes in workplace leadership and fairness was associated with the strongest long-term impact on a worker's sleep. LumiNola/E+/Getty ImagesSleep problems included initiating or maintaining sleep, poor-quality sleep and daytime tiredness two to four times a week that lasted one month to three months. Within a two-year period of time, over half of the participants (53%) reported changes in their workplace environment. However, if the changes at work were negative, sleep issues increased — in fact 1 in 4 people in the study with a worse job environment developed problems getting enough rest. Having negative changes in the leadership and fairness sector was associated with the greatest long-term impact on sleep, more than negative changes in coworker relationships or collaboration, the study found.

☆ Cognitive decline, dementia common after stroke
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

About 40% of the survivors of stroke have mild cognitive impairment that does not meet the diagnostic criteria for dementia. Cognitive impairment is most common within the first two weeks after a stroke, the statement said. The American Stroke Association’s statement did offer some good news: About 20% of people who experience mild cognitive impairment after a stroke fully recover their cognitive function, typically within the first six months. Stroke risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes, should be treated, as should atrial fibrillation. “Perhaps the most pressing need, however, is the development of effective and culturally relevant treatments for post-stroke cognitive impairment,” she said.

☆ Top diets for heart health, according to American Heart Association
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But which diet best meets the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association? In a new scientific statement, leading experts in nutrition ranked 10 popular diets on their ability to meet the AHA’s evidence-based dietary guidance for heart health, published in 2021. “The American Heart Association says no one should drink alcohol if they haven’t started,” Gardner said. Aimed at doctorsWhile people concerned with heart health can and should use the new AHA ranking of the 10 diets, the scientific statement was written for physicians, Gardner said. Top diets for heart health are predominately plant-based, the AHA statement says.

☆ Sleep gummies: Possibly harmful doses of melatonin, CBD found
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Testing of over two dozen melatonin “gummies” sold as sleep aids found some had potentially dangerous amounts of the hormone that helps regulate sleep, according to a new study. “Four of the tested products contained levels of CBD that were between 4% and 18% higher than on the label,” Cohen said. “We choose gummies over other products because we thought parents would chose edibles to give to their children,” Cohen said. Gummies sold as sleep aids had much higher levels of melatonin than stated on the label, as well as CBD, according to the study. “However, that doesn’t mean melatonin products are going to work or they’re a good idea to take.

☆ The Janes 1960s underground abortion network
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

The group was officially created in 1969 as the “Abortion Counseling Service of Women’s Liberation.”But after running ads in an underground newspaper: “Pregnant? “It wasn’t just abortion,” Barron explained. “Vacuum aspiration was much easier to do, and I think it’s less difficult for the woman,” Scott said. We had to keep the service running.”Laura Kaplan volunteered for the Janes, later immortalizing the group in her book, "The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service." Each Jane was charged with 11 counts of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion, with a possible sentence of up to 110 years in prison.

☆ Type 2 diabetes: Coffee, tea lower risk of heart disease and early death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —If you have type 2 diabetes, drinking more coffee, tea or plain water may lower your risk of dying prematurely from any cause by about 25%, a new study found. However, drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages raised the risk of heart disease by 25% and the risk of dying from a heart attack or another cardiovascular event by 29%, the study said. Adults with type 2 diabetes who drink more coffee or tea lower their risk of heart disease, a new study said. There was a 26% lower risk of early death associated with drinking coffee, 21% for tea, 23% for plain water and 12% for low-fat milk. When both sugar-sweetened and artificial no-calorie drinks were replaced with coffee, tea, plain water and low-fat milk, there was an even lower risk of heart disease and death from any cause.

☆ ADHD medication abuse in schools is a ‘wake-up call’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Schools with the highest rates of teens using prescribed ADHD medications were about 36% more likely to have students misusing prescription stimulants during the past year, the study found. Schools with more White students and those who had medium levels of student binge drinking were also more likely to see teen abuse of stimulants. “But these findings were not being driven solely by teens with ADHD misusing their medications,” McCabe said. Research has also shown people who misuse ADHD medications are highly likely to have multiple substance use disorders. “Parents can make sure the schools their kids attend have safe storage for medication and strict dispensing policies.

☆ Alzheimer’s first signs may appear in your eyes, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Getty ImagesResearch has been exploring how the eye may help in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms begin. “Alzheimer’s disease begins in the brain decades before the first symptoms of memory loss,” said Dr. Richard Isaacson, an Alzheimer’s preventive neurologist who is also at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Researchers then compared samples from donors with normal cognitive function to those with mild cognitive impairment and those with later-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in February in the journal Acta Neuropathologica, found significant increases in beta-amyloid, a key marker of Alzheimer’s disease, in people with both Alzheimer’s and early cognitive decline. Tissue atrophy and inflammation in cells in the far periphery of the retina were most predictive of cognitive status, the study found.

☆ Dirty Dozen list: Which fruits and vegetables could contain pesticides
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Each year, a rotating list of produce is tested by USDA staffers who wash, peel or scrub fruits and vegetables as consumers would before the food is examined for 251 different pesticides. Kale, collard and mustard greens contained the largest number of different pesticides — 103 types — followed by hot and bell peppers at 101. Concerned consumers can consider choosing conventionally grown vegetables and fruits from the EWG’s Clean 15, a list of crops that tested lowest in pesticides, the report said. When last tested in 2014, blueberries contained over 50 different pesticides. Testing in 2020 and 2021 found 54 different pesticides — about the same amount.

Persons: nutritionists, Kale, collard, ”, Jane Houlihan, Houlihan, Ian Berry, Alexis Temkin, ” Temkin, we’re, ” Chris Novak, ” Novak, Bryan Hitchcock, Temkin, “, “ Steer Organizations: CNN, Environmental, Produce, US Department of Agriculture, USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, Healthy, American Academy of Pediatrics, Futures, EPA, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, CropLife, Food Technologists, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: CropLife America

The comments at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston show the industry remains on edge after weathering the initial aftermath of one of the biggest shocks to global energy flows in recent memory. On Feb.5, the G7 and allies also implemented a price cap on Russian fuel sales. On Tuesday, the Kremlin said it did not recognize the price cap. A STABLE OIL MARKET? China's oil demand will grow 500,000 to 600,000 barrels per day in 2023, OPEC's Al Ghais said, while global oil demand growth is expected to grow 2.3 million barrels per day in 2023.

☆ Erythritol, an ingredient in stevia, linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A sugar replacement called erythritol — used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monkfruit and keto reduced-sugar products — has been linked to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death, according to a study. “If your blood level of erythritol was in the top 25% compared to the bottom 25%, there was about a two-fold higher risk for heart attack and stroke,” Hazen said. Clots can break off and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, triggering a stroke. “There appears to be a clotting risk from using erythritol,” Freeman said. In all three populations, researchers found that higher levels of erythritol were connected to a greater risk of heart attack, stroke or death within three years.

Persons: ”, Stanley Hazen, ” Hazen, “, erythritol, Andrew Freeman, ” Freeman, Robert Rankin, ” Rankin, Hazen, “ It’s, Erythritol, Hazen’s, Oliver Jones, ” Jones, You’ll, Health’s Freeman Organizations: CNN, Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, People, Nature, Jewish Health, European Association of Polyol, Cleveland Clinic’s Center, Human, RMIT University, National Health, European Food Safety Authority, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Denver, United States, Europe, erythritol, Australia

☆ How to focus with a short attention span
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In her book “Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity,” Mark explains how decades of research have tracked the decline of the ability to focus. “In 2004, we measured the average attention on a screen to be 2½ minutes,” Mark said. “In fact, our research shows it takes 25 minutes, 26 seconds, before we go back to the original working sphere or project,” Mark said. “And then you go back and pick up the original interrupted project,” Mark said. For over 25 minutes, you’re actually working on other things.”(At least I can tell my boss that when I miss my deadline.)

Persons: CNN — I’ve, ”, Gloria Mark, Mark, ” Mark, “, you’re, there’s, “ You’re, it’s, Bora Bora, ” It’s, — Organizations: CNN, Pixar, University of California, Adobe Stock Locations: Irvine, Bora

☆ How to prevent a hangover, and 3 ways to treat one
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —You had a little too much to drink last night, and now you’re nursing that dreaded morning aftermath — a hangover. There is no scientifically proven way to cure a hangover, but experts say you can prevent one — or at least keep that morning-after misery to a minimum. Drink on a full stomachEating a little before you start drinking can reduce your hangover symptoms, experts say. AbstainIn the end, however, experts say there is only one true preventive — or cure — for a hangover: Don’t drink. “There’s no simple cure because there are so many complex factors that are producing the multiple symptoms of a hangover,” Swift said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Robert Swift, Brown University’s Warren, Swift, “, it’s, John Brick, Downing, bootleggers, That’s, Brick, ” Swift Organizations: CNN, Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, Lightfield, Adobe, of Alcohol Studies, Education, Training, Rutgers University Locations: Providence , Rhode Island, New Jersey

☆ Neck pain associated with poor sleep position
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Neck pain may have many causes: Stress, poor posture, texting, injuries from sports, car or other accidents and chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, to name a few. Don't sleep on your stomach if you want to avoid neck pain, experts say. What to do about neck painWhat’s the best course of action if you wake up with neck pain? Studies show exercise can improve neck pain from sleep much better than other noninvasive interventions such as massage, acupuncture, yoga or relaxation techniques. A 2020 study found mood and sleep improved when people with chronic neck pain increased their exercise levels.

☆ How to screen for colon cancer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A representative for Alley confirmed to CNN via email on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer prior to her death. Colorectal cancer, which includes colon and rectal cancers, is the second most common cause of death from cancer in 2022, outranked only by lung and bronchus cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program. Regular checkups are the best way to keep colon cancer at bay, according to the US Preventive Services Task Force. DNA stool test: A DNA stool test is another option, the society said. “You didn’t put the scope in yet, did you?” asked Couric, whose husband, Jay Monahan, had died from colon cancer at age 42 in 1998.

☆ Why colds and flu viruses are more common in winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s almost as if those pesky cold and flu germs whirl in with the first blast of winter weather. So why do people get more colds, flu and now Covid-19 when it’s chilly outside? It turns out the cold air itself damages the immune response occurring in the nose. Once created and dispersed out into nasal secretions, the billions of EV’s then start to swarm the marauding germs, Bleier said. Wearing a mask can protect you from cold air that can reduce your immunity, an expert says.

☆ Ultraprocessed food may contribute to dementia, study says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —We all eat them — ultraprocessed foods such as frozen pizza and ready-to-eat meals make our busy lives much easier. If more than 20% of your daily calorie intake is ultraprocessed foods, however, you may be raising your risk for cognitive decline, a new study found. While short of proof, this is robust enough that we should conclude ultraprocessed foods are probably bad for our brains.”There was an interesting twist, however. “Ultraprocessed foods drag diet quality down, and thus their concentration in the diet is an indicator of poor diet quality in most cases,” Katz said. One easy way to ensure diet quality is to cook and prepare your food from scratch, Suemoto said.

☆ Pain relief from marijuana may come from believing it helps, study says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A 2020 study, for example, found using marijuana before entering the hospital for a surgical procedure made pain during recovery significantly worse. In fact, the optimistic attitude generated by a placebo can be powerful enough to affect study results dramatically. A unique part of the study looked at the role of news and social media for the placebo effect in cannabis clinical trials, Jensen said. Researchers found positive media coverage after each of the cannabis clinical trials, even when the study results were less than spectacular, she said. “I don’t think you can explain the placebo effect or blame it on social media.

☆ Poor sleep can make you prickly. Here’s what to do
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Develop a sleep debt from those worries, and you’ll pay a price in your ability to think, plan and manage your emotions. “Sleep debt, also called a sleep deficit, is the difference between the amount of sleep someone needs and the amount they actually get,” said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. Research has found many people have little idea how much poor sleep has affected their mood and coping skills, said Dr. Bhanu Prakash Kolla, a sleep medicine specialist in the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Loss of sleep can directly affect your ability to control emotions and manage expectations, said Dr. Bhanu Prakash Kolla of the Mayo Clinic. “Sleep medications are seldom the solution for chronically poor sleep and impaired daytime functioning,” he said.

☆ Improve memory as you age by eating more flavonols, study says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Eating more flavonols, antioxidants found in many vegetables, fruits, tea and wine, may slow your rate of memory loss, a new study finds. The cognitive score of people in the study who ate the most flavonols declined 0.4 units per decade more slowly than those who ate the fewest flavonols. One of the most common flavonols, quercetin, has shown promise in reducing the onset of colorectal cancer and other cancers, according to studies. (For comparison, the average flavonol intake in US adults is about 16 to 20 milligrams per day, according to the study.) The study looked at the impact of the four major flavonols — kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin and isorhamnetin — on the rate of cognitive decline over the seven years.

☆ Secrets of ‘SuperAgers’ with superior memories into their 80s
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Siegler is a cognitive “SuperAger,” possessing a brain as sharp as people 20 to 30 years younger. She is part of an elite group enrolled in the Northwestern SuperAging Research Program, which has been studying the elderly with superior memories for 14 years. Once accepted, colorful 3D scans are taken of the brain and cognitive testing and brain scans are repeated every year or so. A SuperAger’s brain, usually donated to the research program by participants after death, also has bigger, healthier cells in the entorhinal cortex. SuperAger brains had three times fewer tau tangles, or abnormal formations of protein within nerve cells, than the brains of cognitively healthy controls, the study also found.

☆ Turkey isn’t the reason you’re sleepy – really
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US Department of Agriculture recommends planning for one pound of turkey meat per person when preparing a holiday meal. “Tryptophan from turkey is unlikely to enter the brain and make enough serotonin to make us sleepy,” Malin said. “Turkey doesn’t really make us sleepy,” Knutson said. “Remember all the delicious side dishes surrounding the center piece of turkey, such as sweet potato pie, casseroles and yummy desserts,” he said. “Alcohol slows down your brain and relaxes your muscles so after a few drinks you’ll likely feel sleepy.”

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